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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Illinois women’s basketball coach Shauna Green speaks during a visit to the Esquire in September 2024 for the WDWS radio show ‘Monday Night SportsTalk.’
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Celebrate the Illinois women’s basketball season and get prepped for next week’s Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis with us at the Esquire on Monday with ‘Monday Night SportsTalk.’
➜ 2. The WDWS 1400-AM and 93.9-FM radio show from 5-6 p.m. at the popular downtown Champaign establishment will feature three guests connected to the program: director of operations Maya Solomon, former Illini and current Courtsiders President Susan Bonner and radio play-by-play man Mike Koon.
➜ 3. Beat Michigan on Sunday in the regular-season finale at State Farm Center in Champaign, and the Illini women’s basketball team will reach 22 regular-season wins for the first time in program history.
Adalia McKenzie and the Illinois women’s basketball team closes out the regular season at 12:30 p.m. Sunday against Michigan at State Farm Center in Champaign.
Numbers game: 109
career starts Adalia McKenzie has made during her Illinois women’s basketball career. Including every game each of the last three seasons. Her 110th career start should come on Sunday against Michigan, the final home game for McKenzie at State Farm Center and the only senior on the current roster who has spent all four of her seasons at Illinois. McKenzie enters Sunday with 1,440 career points, good for 14th in program history.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and the Illinois men’s basketball team will try to win at Michigan on Sunday afternoon.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Illinois at No. 15 Michigan men’s basketball. The Illini (18-11, 10-8 Big Ten) can’t win the Big Ten regular-season title this season. But they can certainly disrupt those plans for the Wolverines (22-6, 14-3) on Sunday afternoon.
➜ 2. Southern Illinois at Murray State women’s basketball. Oakwood graduate Katelyn Young goes into her final home game with the Racers (19-7, 13-4 Missouri Valley Conference) on Saturday with 2,869 career points. Mighty impressive.
➜ 3. Valparaiso at Illinois State women’s basketball. Unity graduate Elyce Knudsen is averaging 13.2 points for the host Redbirds (18-10, 12-5 MVC) ahead of their senior day on Saturday afternoon.
Rantoul baseball coach Kyle Lewis.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with first-year Rantoul baseball coach Kyle Lewis:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Chicago Cubs.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Tony Vitello, Jake Jaworski and my uncle, Greg McMahon.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … people who do not hold doors open for others.